Between New and Old
by SeriouslyIt'sMine
Summary: Chuck-centric, will end up Chair. Set 4 years after he left for Prague in the Season 3 finale Nate stumbles across Chuck on a business trip. But this is not the Chuck who left all those years ago, what is his secret hidden in  London? Better than summary!


I've not written anything in a very VERY long time, but I literally couldn't get this story out of my head so thought I would try test the waters and see if people like it. This is a Chuck-centric story, hopefully ending in some sort of Chair fashion (as lets face it, Chuck is right, they are ment to be together) but I've not got that far yet. Don't know how it's going to develop but hey that's writing I guess!

Please let me know what you think and I would love some constructive feedback and ideas of threads you'd possibly like to see in later chapters!

Thanks!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or Ed Westwick would be mine!

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Nathaniel Archibald sighed as he leaned against the gleaming marble counter top at the hotel reception. He had rung the bell for assistance and was waiting on the receptionist, tempted to push the bell again and keep pushing it until someone came but he fought against it. His Upper East Side upbringing had left its scar of extreme politeness so he waited. He could feel the grubbiness of the long plane ride from New York to London stuck to him, his suit slightly crinkled and the bags starting to form under his eyes from the small amount of sleep he had managed. He also couldn't shake the almost guilty feeling that had started to creep up his insides as soon as he had seen The London Empire emblazoned in polished gold lettering above the revolving doors of the central London hotel. He wasn't completely sure whether he was correct in his assumptions that this place even belonged to his old best friend Chuck Bass but when he came across the name and pictures of the stylish yet elegant reception on the online hotel reservation site while trying to book a hotel for a work conference in London the hotel immediately reminded him of his lost friends personality.

Chuck had disappeared from his life over 4 years ago, running off to Prague after Jenny Humprey-gate. For a few months Nate had cause for actual concern over Chuck's whereabouts as bill after bill of The Empire, the hotel that was Chucks pride and joy and symbol of everything he had and was yet to achieve, went unpaid. Until one day a new general manager appeared out of the blue, a tall skinny Englishman named Paul Nigels.

"It's more than my job's worth and then some to divulge anything of the whereabouts or wellbeing of Mr Bass. I am permitted to say his alive and well though, and wished to be left alone" He said in a clipped tone shutting the door in Nates face.

After that Nate gave up looking and to some extent worrying, after all he knew better than most people that if the great Chuck Bass didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be. He had resented Chuck for the destruction that had occurred in the UES prior to his disappearance, resenting that Chuck had morphed into a practical stranger in those last few months even before that fateful evening with Jenny. The feeling of guilt was starting to multiply in his chest as Nate realised that he had given up finding him long before Mr Nigels arrival.

"No wonder he didn't want to be found" Nate thought turning around to leave and find another hotel "This really isn't a good idea"

"I'm very sorry for your wait Sir, I was caught up in a phone call in the back office" a tinkling cockney accent said, puncturing the silence and startling Nate. He turned around quickly – the fates had spoken, it was too late to back out now.

"It's quite alright" He said smoothly, flashing his Abercrombie smile – he knew he would have to use the big guns to get any information on Chuck. "I do have a room booked but first I was wondering..." She was already on his hook "the CEO is based here, is he not?"

"Mr Bass? Errrrrrrm no he's relocated to a few streets away. Did you have an appointment?" She giggled

Nate struggled to keep his face straight as she said his name, so his hunch was correct and the 15 years of knowing Chuck Bass had paid off.

"No, no. Just an old friend wanting to watch up"

The receptionists smile faltered, a slightly worried look spreading across her face. "I'm so sorry Sir, forgive me for asking but please don't repeat..." She dropped her voice to a whisper "..Mr Bass' name – were not supposed to disclose anything to non business associates. It's in our contracts.. It's just been a hectic day and you caught...

Nate cut through her stammering "Don't worry, Emily" He said hastily looking down at her name badge "It's fine I just needed you to confirm..."

"Oh shit" The girl cursed. Nate stopped a little shocked at her little outburst. The colour however was starting to drain from her face as she noticed someone coming through the doors behind him. He turned quickly in the direction she was looking, a man in an achingly expensive suite was halfway through the door, a small entourage trying to hurriedly follow behind him.

Nate felt his breath catch in his throat, the ball of guilt mingling with a new found air of confusion all bouncing around in his stomach, his heart beating out of his chest. Someone who looked exactly like Charles Bass was striding towards the desk, apparently having not paid attention to the identity of the man stood at his hotel reception desk.

But this couldn't be Chuck. Definitely not the Chuck he had known. Sure this man was impeccably well dressed, a purple silk handkerchief in the top pocket of the exquisitely tailored suit as Chuck would have been. The receptionist Emily practically cowering behind the desk as he had seen many an employee of The Bass empire do in the past. He could even see the tell-tale limo through the glass of the doors outside the hotel.

This however could not have been Chuck Bass as held tightly in his arms, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for Chuck to be holding, was a small sleeping child. Her head cuddled against his shoulder, a scruffy teddy bear hanging from its paw from her hand, an exact replica of the man carrying her.

Chuck stopped suddenly, the toddler stirring slightly.

"Archibald?"

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Cliffhanger! Sorry! Lemme know what you think

Love Seriously


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